Kettle Valley first responders attended three vehicle rollovers and one case of a vehicle sliding down an embankment on Sunday, after temperature fluctuations left shaded corners slick.
“Black ice was absolutely a contributing factor to all of these accidents,” said Midway RCMP Cpl. Ted Bowen on Monday.
Bowen personally witnessed the first accident of the day, a “high-speed rollover,” which occurred when a west-bound passenger vehicle hit a slippery section of highway near the weigh scales just west of Midway. Bowen said that the driver sustained minor head injuries.
While he was attending the scene, another vehicle rolled near the same spot. Both passengers escaped with bumps and bruises.
Midway fire chief Walt Osselame said that first responders themselves were wary of their footing at the crash scenes as boots slipped across the asphalt.
“Winter time is not summer time,” said Midway fire chief Walt Osselame. “Regardless of the tires you have, when you’ve got those changes from warm to cold, from wet snow to ice, slow way down,” the fire chief warned.
Bowen said that he had been out Sunday morning to monitor drivers and even conducted traffic stops to slow drivers who were rolling at or under the posted speed limit.
“That’s the maximum limit in good conditions,” Bowen said, reminding drivers to slow down and anticipate inclement conditions.
The two other accidents that Bowen attended occurred near Westbridge: one rollover and one vehicle slide down an embankment. The corporal said that the people involved in the crashes escaped without serious injury.
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Jensen.edwards@grandforksgazette.ca
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